With the tenth edition of the DaKine ISA World Junior Championship Presented by Billabong set to commence in just a few weeks time, there is a lot to start to think about. It is a fact that the event will feature many of the top under-18 athletes from outposts around the world looking to establish themselves as the next big thing in surfing.

What’s yet to be determined is which athletes will assume those roles. For every highly rated junior, like Dylan Lightfoot (RSA) or Creed McTaggart (AUS), there’s the possibility that some lesser-known Tahitian or Venezuelan boy or girl could also step up and shock the world. Surprises come with the territory.

With that in mind, here are 10 things you need to know – and should know – about the upcoming event:

One
The DaKine ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Presented by Billabong is the biggest surfing event in the world for under-18 surfers, with nearly 300 competitors from over 30 countries. It is the pinnacle of the career of every junior surfer around the world.

TwoThe event gathers the best junior surfers from every continent to compete for their National Teams in an “Olympic-style” event. The surfers compete for medals and the honor of representing their respective countries. There is no cash prize awarded.

ThreeThe ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is an annual event, in its tenth year as a stand-alone event. The ISA began including the Junior division at the ISA World Championship in 1980, which was held at Biarritz, France. Surfing legend and three-time ASP World Champion Tom Curren was the first ISA Junior Champion. Thirty-one years later, in 2011, Curren also became an ISA Masters Champion.

FourThe DaKine ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Presented by Billabong will mark the third consecutive year that Panama has hosted an ISA event. In 2011, the ISA World Surfing Games took place at Playa Venao, and in 2010 the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship was held at Santa Catalina.

Panama won the hosting bid over other candidate nations because of its continued commitment to a better surfing future, its ideal high-performance wave conditions for the explosive lineup of surfers scheduled to compete in the event, the dedication of its Tourism and Sports Department and also as a means to help develop surfing in the region.

FiveAthletes from over 30 countries will surf the waves of Playa Venao, located in Los Santos province, five hours away from Panama City. Powerhouse teams including Australia, USA, Hawaii, Brazil, France, South Africa and Peru (the defending team champions) and the host, Panama, will be seeking a place on the podium in the three individual divisions (Boys Under-18, Girls Under-18, Boys Under-16) and, most importantly, in the overall team standings.

SixIn the history of the event, 1,964 athletes have competed. The first junior championship had 128 surfers in contention, while the 2012 event is expected to have 288 surfers, with 96 in each of the three divisions.

SevenThe venue for the event is a tropical setting with air and water temperatures on par with summer in Hawaii, and located on the Pacific Ocean side of the country. The waves at Playa Venao, depending on the tide, can be hollow beachbreak barrels or perfect, rippable left- and right-handers. The wind conditions this time of year are also ideal, blowing offshore most days.

EightThe tenth edition of the championship will officially open on April 14 in Pedasí, 30 minutes east of the event venue, at the traditional ISA Opening Ceremony, which will include the Parade of the Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony.

The participating countries will pour sand from their favorite beaches into the same container, representing the peaceful union of the nations through the love of the sport of surfing.

Major Dates

Friday, April 13
Press Conference, Pedasi

Saturday, April 14
Parade of the Nations, Opening Ceremony and Sands of the World Ceremony

Sunday, April 15
Competition Begins

Tuesday, April 17
ISA Aloha Beach Party

Sunday, April 22
Closing Ceremony

NinePast individual and team champions of the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship are: